The biggest mistake you are making with your resume

Have you heard the story about the $5 haircut?  The story goes that there is a small town barber (let’s call him Barber Smith) who has most of the town’s business for many years charging $7 per haircut. 

One day, a new barber (Barber Jones) moves to town and sets up shop directly across from Barber Smith.  Barber Jones promptly places a “$5 Haircut” sign on the front of his store.

As can be expected, many of Barber Smith’s long-time customers stray to Barber Jones to save $2 on a haircut.  Not surprisingly, the cheaper haircuts turn out to be substandard with the cuts growing out uneven and unmanageable. 

Of course, none of this surprises Barber Smith, who puts up a new sign of his own:  “We fix $5 haircuts.”

The moral of the story:  Sometimes the cheapest option is not the best choice.

Sometimes I feel like Barber Smith when meeting clients unhappy with resumes prepared by a service promising to undercut the competition.  In an effort to save money, they have settled for a service unable to provide high-quality goods.  In the end, no one wins as the job seeker fails to get maximum results, and the resume service develops a reputation for falling short of professional standards.

Let's face it:  The hours you have spent working jobs you’ve loved or hated and early years studying and training have been an enormous investment. Your resume should reflect this investment and help you define your value to the marketplace. 

When searching for career development services, be sure to invest your time with a professional who has the formal training and background to identify the right strategy for your job search.  The best will have years of experience in career development including expertise in hiring cycles and recruiting best practices.  More importantly, these professionals have invested enormously into their personal development in order to help you craft a resume that will open doors and interview with confidence. 

The moral of your career development story?  Time spent up front collaborating with the right career professional will not only save you money and heartache in the long run, but will also provide you with the competitive edge needed to stand out. 

 
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